The essentials
Attach the tow rope or the tow bar only to the
t o
wline anc
horages provided or a towing
bracket.
Notes for the driver of the towing vehicle
● The tow rope must be taut before you drive
off.
● Rel
ease the clutch very carefully when start-
ing the v
ehicle (manual gearbox), or acceler-
ate gently (automatic gearbox).
Driving style
Towing requires some experience, especially
when using a tow rope. Both drivers should
realise how difficult it is to tow a vehicle. In-
experienced drivers should not attempt to
tow.
Do not pull too hard with the towing vehicle
and take care to avoid jerking the tow rope.
When towing on an unpaved road, there is al-
ways a risk of overloading and damaging the
anchorage points.
The ignition of the vehicle being towed must
be switched on to prevent the steering wheel
from locking and also to allow the use of the
turn signals, horn, windscreen wipers and
washers.
Place the gear lever in neutral on vehicles
with a manual gearbox. With an automatic
gearbox, place the lever in N. The brake servo only works when the engine
is ru
nning. When not running, you must ap-
ply considerably more pressure to the brake
pedal.
As the power assisted steering does not work
if the engine is not running, you will need
more strength to steer than you normally
would.
››› in General information on page 100
››› page 100 Tow-starting
If the engine will not start, first try starting it
u
s
in
g the battery of another vehicle
››› page 71. You should only attempt to tow-
start a vehicle if charging the battery does
not work. This is done by leveraging wheel
movement.
When tow-starting a vehicle with a petrol en-
gine, do not tow it more than a short dis-
tance, otherwise unburned fuel can enter the
catalytic converter.
However, if your vehicle has to be tow-star-
ted:
● Engage 2 nd
or 3 rd
ge
ar.
● Keep the clutch pressed down. ●
Switc
h the ignition on.
● Once both vehicles are moving, release the
clutc
h.
● As soon as the engine starts, press the
clutc
h and move the gear lever into neutral.
This helps to prevent driving into the towing
vehicle.
››› in General information on page 100
››› page 100 How to jump start
Jump l e
a
ds The jump lead must have a sufficient wire
c
r
o
ss section.
If the engine fails to start because of a dis-
charged battery, the battery can be connec-
ted to the battery of another vehicle to start
the engine.
Jump leads
Jump leads must comply with standard DIN
72553 (see cable manufacturer's instruc-
tions). The wire cross section must be at least
25 mm 2
for petrol engines and at least
35 mm 2
for diesel engines. » 71
Communications and multimedia
Multimedia USB/A UX
-INP
ortFig. 131
Centre console: USB/AUX-IN input. Depending on the special characteristics and
the c
ou
ntr
y, the vehicle may have a
USB/AUX-IN port.
The USB/AUX-IN port can be found in the
storage compartment area of the centre con-
sole ››› Fig. 131.
The operating description is located in the re-
spective Instruction Manuals of the audio
system or the navigation system. Connectivity Box* / Wireless Charger* Fig. 132
Related video Fig. 133
Centre console: Connectivity Box. Depending on the features and the country,
the
v
ehic
le may have one of these two op-
tions: Connectivity Box or Wireless Charger.
With the Connectivity Box you can charge
your mobile device wirelessly with Qi 1)
tech-
nology as well as reduce the radiation in the
vehicle and have better reception. With the Wireless Charger you only have the
wirel
ess charging function if your mobile de-
vice has Qi technology.
The Connectivity Box/Wireless Charger is in
the storage compartment area of the centre
console ››› Fig. 133.
The operating description is located in the re-
spective Instruction Manuals of the audio
system or the navigation system. Note
Your mobile device must support the Qi wire-
le s
s inductive charging interface standard for
proper operation. 1)
Qi technology allows you to charge your mobile
phone wir el
essly. 129
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Lights and visibility
Note
If not all the vehicle doors are closed, the in-
terior light s
will be switched off after approx.
10 minutes, providing the ignition key has
been removed and the courtesy light position
selected. This prevents the battery from dis-
charging. Visibility
Heat ed r
ear window Fig. 150
With the air conditioning controls:
he at
ed r
ear window switch. The heated rear window only works when the
en
gine i
s
running. When it is switched on, a
lamp lights up on the switch.
After approximately 8 minutes, the heating
device of the rear window switches off auto-
matically. For the sake of the environment
The heated rear window should be switched
off a s
soon as the glass is demisted. By sav-
ing electrical power you can also save fuel. Note
To avoid possible damage to the battery, an
autom atic
temporary disconnection of this
function is possible, coming back on when
normal operating conditions are re-establish-
ed. Sun visors
Fig. 151
Sun visor on the driver side. Options for adjusting driver and front pas-
sen
g
er s
un visors:
● Lower the sun visor towards the wind-
sc r
een. ●
The su n
visor can be pulled out of its
mounting and turned towards the door
››› Fig. 151 1 .
● Swing the sun visor towards the door, lon-
git udin
al
ly backwards.
Vanity mirror
There is a vanity mirror, with a cover 2 , on
the r e
ar of
the sun blind. WARNING
Folded sun blinds can reduce visibility.
● Always store sun blinds and visors in their
hous in
g when not in use. Windscreen wiper and rear win-
do
w w
iper sy
stems
Windscreen wiper and window wiper Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 33 WARNING
● Worn and dir ty
wiper blades reduce visibili-
ty and safety levels while driving.
● In cold conditions you should not use the
wash/w
ipe system unless you have warmed
the windscreen with the heating and ventila-
tion system. The windscreen washer fluid » 149
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
If the engine does not start immediately,
sw it
c
h the starter off after 10 seconds and try
again after half a minute. If the engine still
does not start, the fuel pump fuse should be
checked ››› page 104, Fuses. WARNING
● Never s t
art or run the engine in unventila-
ted or closed rooms. The exhaust gases con-
tain carbon monoxide, an odourless and col-
ourless poisonous gas. Risk of fatal acci-
dents. Carbon monoxide can cause loss of
consciousness and result in death.
● Never leave the vehicle unattended if the
engine is
running.
● Never use “cold start sprays”, they could
explode or c
ause the engine to run at high
revs. Risk of injury. CAUTION
● When the engine i s
cold, you should avoid
high engine speeds, driving at full throttle
and over-loading the engine. Risk of engine
damage.
● The vehicle should not be pushed or towed
more than 50 metr
es to start the engine. Un-
burnt fuel could enter the catalytic converter
and damage it.
● Before attempting to push-start or tow a ve-
hicle in or
der to start it, you should first try to
start it using the battery of another vehicle.
Please observe and follow the notes on the
››› page 71, How to jump start. For the sake of the environment
Do not warm-up the engine by running the
engine w ith the
vehicle stationary. Start off
immediately, driving gently. This helps the
engine reach operating temperature faster
and reduces emissions. Starting diesel engines
The engine can only be started using a genu-
ine S
EA
T key with its correct code.
– Move the gearbox lever to the neutral posi-
tion and depre s
s the clutch pedal thor-
oughly and hold it in this position for the
starter to turn the engine on.
– Turn the ignition key to position ›››
Fig. 175
2 . The warning lamp
wi
l l light for en-
gine pre-heating.
– When the lamp turns off, turn the ignition
key t
o position 3 to start the engine. Do
not pr
e
ss the accelerator.
– Release the ignition key as soon as the en-
gine star
ts. The starter motor should not
turn at the same time.
When starting a cold engine, it may be a little
noisy for the first few seconds until oil pres-
sure has built up in the hydraulic valve com-
pensators. This is quite normal, and no cause
for concern. If there are problems starting the engine, see
the
›››
page 71.
Glow plug system for diesel engines
To avoid unnecessary discharging of the bat-
tery, do not use any other major electrical
equipment while the glow plugs are pre-heat-
ing.
Start the engine as soon as the glow plug
warning lamp goes out.
Starting a diesel engine after the fuel tank
has run dry
If the fuel tank has been completely run dry,
it may take longer than normal (up to one mi-
nute) to start a diesel engine after refuelling.
This is because the fuel system must elimi-
nate air first. WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ›››
in Starting
petro l
engines on page 174. CAUTION
● When the engine i s
cold, you should avoid
high engine speeds, driving at full throttle
and over-loading the engine. Risk of engine
damage.
● The vehicle should not be pushed or towed
more than 50 metr
es to start the engine. Un-
burnt fuel could enter the particulate filter
and damage it. 174
Towing bracket device
Hitching and connecting the trailer Fig. 233
Schematic diagram: assignment of
the pins of the trailer's electrical socket.
Key of the Schematic diagram ››› Fig. 233:
PinMeaning
1Left turn signal
2Rear fog light
3Earth, pins 1, 2, 4 to 8
4Right turn signal
5Rear light, right
6Brake lights
7Rear light, left
8Reverse lights
9Permanent live
10Cable without positive charge
11Earth, pin 10
Key of the Schematic diagram ››› Fig. 233:
PinMeaning
12Unassigned
13Earth, pin 9 Electrical socket for trailer
The v
ehic
le is fitted with a 13-pole power
socket for the electrical connection between
the trailer and the vehicle. If the system de-
tects that a trailer has been connected elec-
trically, the electrical equipment on the trailer
will receive voltage through this connection.
Pin 9 has a permanent live. This powers, for
example, the trailer's interior lighting. Pin 10
is only powered when the engine is running.
The charge wire (pin 10) charges, for exam-
ple, a caravan battery.
Pin 9 and 10 should not be connected to
each other to avoid discharging or damaging
the vehicle's battery.
The earth wires, pin 3, pin 11 and pin 13,
should never be connected to each other to
avoid overloading the electrical system.
If the trailer has a 7-contact connector , you
will need to use an adapter cable. In this case
the function corresponding to pin 10 will not
be available. Trailer maximum electricity consumption
Brake lights (total)84 Watts
Turn signal, on each side42 Watts
Side lights (total)100 Watts
Rear lights (total)42 Watts
Rear fog light42 Watts
Never exceed the values indicated!
Note
● If the r e
ar lights of the trailer are not cor-
rectly connected, the vehicle electronics may
be damaged.
● If the trailer absorbs excessive electric cur-
rent, the v
ehicle electronics may be dam-
aged.
● Never connect the trailer's electric system
directly t
o the electrical connections of the
tail lights or any other power sources. Only
use the connections intended for providing
electric current to the trailer. Ball coupling of towing bracket de-
v
ic
e* The ball coupling is provided with instruc-
tion
s
on fittin
g and removing the ball cou-
pling of the towing bracket. »
255
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Advice
seek medical care immediately. Neutralise
any
ac
id splashes on the skin or clothing
with a soapy solution, and rinse off with plen-
ty of water. If acid is swallowed by mistake,
consult a doctor immediately.
● Fires, sparks, open flames and smoking are
prohibit
ed. When handling cables and electri-
cal equipment, avoid causing sparks and
electrostatic charge. Never short the battery
terminals. High-energy sparks can cause in-
jury.
● A highly explosive mixture of gases is re-
lea
sed when the battery is under charge. The
batteries should be charged in a well-ventila-
ted room only.
● Keep children away from acid and batteries.
● Before working on the electrical system,
you mus
t switch off the engine, the ignition
and all electrical devices. The negative cable
on the battery must be disconnected. When a
light bulb is changed, you need only switch
off the light.
● Deactivate the anti-theft alarm by unlock-
ing the v
ehicle before you disconnect the bat-
tery! The alarm will otherwise be triggered.
● When disconnecting the battery from the
vehicl
e on-board network, disconnect first
the negative cable and then the positive ca-
ble.
● Switch off all electrical devices before re-
connecting the b
attery. Reconnect first the
positive cable and then the negative cable.
Never reverse the polarity of the connections.
This could cause an electrical fire. ●
Never c h
arge a frozen battery, or one which
has thawed. This could result in explosions
and chemical burns. Always replace a battery
which has frozen. A flat battery can also
freeze at temperatures close to 0°C (+32°F).
● Ensure that the vent hose is always connec-
ted to the b
attery.
● Never use a defective battery. This could
cause an e
xplosion. Replace a damaged bat-
tery immediately. CAUTION
● Nev er di s
connect the battery if the ignition
is switched on or if the engine is running.
This could damage the electrical system or
electronic components.
● Do not expose the battery to direct sunlight
over a lon
g period of time, as the intense ul-
traviolet radiation can damage the battery
housing.
● If the vehicle is left standing in cold condi-
tions f
or a long period, protect the battery
from “freezing”. If it freezes it will be dam-
aged. Warning lamp
It lights up
Alternator fault. The control lamp
lights up when the igni-
tion i s
switched on. It should go out when the
engine has started running.
If the control lamp lights up while driving,
the alternator is no longer charging the bat-
tery. You should immediately drive to the
nearest specialised workshop.
You should avoid using electrical equipment
that is not absolutely necessary because this
will drain the battery.
Checking the battery electrolyte level The electrolyte level should be checked regu-
l
arly
in high-mi
leage vehicles, in hot coun-
tries and in older batteries.
– Open the bonnet and open the battery cov-
er at the front
››› in Safety notes for work
in the en gine c
omp
artment on page 273
››› in Symbols and warnings on handling
the b att
er
y on page 281. For vehicles with
the battery under the spare wheel, open
the rear lid and lift the floor covering. The
battery is located next to the spare wheel.
– Check the colour display in the "magic eye"
on the top of the b
attery.
– If there are air bubbles in the window, tap
the window g
ently until they disperse.
282
Wheels
The position of the battery is shown in the
c orr
e
sponding engine compartment diagram
››› page 275.
The “magic eye” indicator, located on the top
of the battery changes colour, depending on
the charge state and electrolyte level of the
battery.
There are two different colours:
● Black: correct charge status.
● Transparent/clear yellow: the battery must
be repl
aced. Contact a specialised workshop.
Charging or changing the battery The battery is maintenance-free and is
c
hec
k
ed during the inspection service. All
work on the vehicle battery requires special-
ist knowledge.
If you often drive short distances or if the ve-
hicle is not driven for long periods, the bat-
tery should be checked by a specialised
workshop between the scheduled services.
If the battery has discharged and you have
problems starting the vehicle, the battery
might be damaged. If this happens, we rec-
ommend you have the vehicle battery
checked by a Technical Service where it will
be re-charged or replaced. Charging the battery
The vehic
le battery should be charged by a
specialised workshop only, as batteries us-
ing special technology have been installed
and they must be charged in a controlled en-
vironment.
Replacing a vehicle battery
The battery has been developed to suit the
conditions of its location and has special
safety features.
Genuine SEAT batteries meet the mainte-
nance, performance and safety specifications
of your vehicle. WARNING
● We r ec
ommend you use only maintenance-
free or cycle free leak-proof batteries which
comply with standards T 825 06 and
VW 7 50 73. This standard applies as of
2001.
● Before starting any work on the batteries,
you mus
t read and observe the warnings
››› in Symbols and warnings on handling
the batt er
y on page 281. For the sake of the environment
Batteries contain toxic substances such as
su lphuric
acid and lead. They must be dis-
posed of appropriately and must not be dis-
posed of with ordinary household waste. Wheels
Wheel s
and ty
res
General notes Avoiding damage
– If you have to drive over a kerb or similar
ob s
tacle, drive very slowly and at a right
angle.
– Keep grease, oil and fuel off the tyres.
– Inspect the tyres regularly for damage
(cuts, c r
acks or blisters, etc.). Remove any
foreign objects embedded in the treads.
Storing tyres
– When you remove the tyres, mark them in
order to m
aintain the same direction of ro-
tation when they are installed again.
– When removed, the wheels and/or tyres
should be s
tored in a cool, dry and prefera-
bly dark location.
– Store tyres in a vertical position, if they are
not fitted on wheel
rims.
New tyres
New tyres must be run in ›››
page 197.
The tread depth of new tyres may vary, ac-
cording to the type and make of tyre and the
tread pattern. »
283
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Index
launch control program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
m anual
r
elease of the selector lever . . . . . . . . . 50
selector lever lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
selector lever positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
steering wheel with gear shift paddles . . . . . . 190
tiptronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188, 190
Automatic lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
AUX-IN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
B Back seat folding down and raising the back seat back-rest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Before setting off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Belt tensioners control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Belt tightening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Biodiesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Blind spot detector (BSD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224 control lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
driving situations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
indication in the external rear view mirror . . . 225
malfunction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
operating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Bonnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17, 273, 275 closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Brake assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60, 280 changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179, 197
Brakes brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
new Brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Brake servo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179, 186 Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Brakin
g
brake assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Braking distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Braking system warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
BSD see Blind spot detector (BSD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Bulbs changing the bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Buzzer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
C
Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 AdBlue tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
fuel tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Car care exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Care and cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 malfunction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
CCS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Central locking anti-theft alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
automatic speed-dependent locking . . . . . . . 134
central locking button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
emergency locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
key by remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Keyless Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
selective unlocking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
self-locking system to prevent involuntary un-locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
unlocking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Central locking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 safe security system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Central wheel trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65, 66 Centre console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Cetane number (die
sel fuel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Changing a bulb additional brake light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
dipped beam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
DRL (daytime running light) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
fog light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
general notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
interior light and reading light . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
luggage compartment light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
main beam headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
number plate light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
rear bulb in the side panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
rear light in the rear lid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
turn signal light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 subsequent work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Changing settings CAR menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Changing the blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Charging the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Checking levels engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Childproof locks electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23, 93 categorisation into groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
ISOFIX system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23, 92
securing with seat belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Top Tether system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27, 30
Chrome parts cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Cigarette lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
302